Lye soap has been
around for thousands of years. However, lye is a very harmful substance
and proper precautions and safeguards should be taken before trying to
make soap on your own. Here are a few safety precautions to be aware of
when taking on homemade lye soap.

Wash out all pans that were used to make the lye soap thoroughly.
If you touch the pans that are simply washed out and have any remnants
of lye you can burn your hands. If you are making lye soap consider
designating certain pots and pans for soap making and do not mix them
with the rest of your kitchen items to prevent accidents.

Use the right utensils and tools when making lye soap. Use products
that have less chance of causing a dangerous reaction when coming in
contact with lye. Try using enamel, plastic, glass, or wood when mixing
the water with the lye.

Always add lye to the water and not the other way around. If you
pour the water in to the lye mixture there is a chance of a dangerous
reaction where the lye may explode. This is dangerous because the
explosion would cause the chemical to get all over you and anyone else
around.

Keep your children out of harms way. Children have a habit of
getting in the way when we least expect it. Make preparations to do
your lye soap projects while children are asleep or out of the home to
prevent unnecessary harm coming to them.

Store all unused lye out of reach of children. Be sure to properly
label the lye and put it out of reach of pets or children. Lye can be
very harmful to them if they find it, so it is important to take
precautions when storing lye.